Sugarcane Seeds as a Weapon in the Fight Against the Imported Sugar Mafia

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The government, together with sugarcane farmers, has started building a new line of defence against the dominance of imported sugar that has for years been seen as suppressing national production. Through the construction of Kebun Benih Datar (KBD) sugarcane seed gardens in Majalengka, West Java, on Monday, 19 May 2026, the government reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the foundations of the national sugar industry from the upstream sector. The KBD sugar programme is projected to become the foundation for regenerating national superior seed stock, while also strengthening domestic sugar industry autonomy. In the face of national sugar demand reaching millions of tonnes per year, the availability of quality seeds is considered the most crucial factor to boost farmers’ land productivity. ‘If high-quality seeds are widely available and farmers have strong access to modern cultivation, production will rise. That is where we begin to close the space for the imported sugar mafia which has grown because of weak national production,’ said Nandang during the closing planting event for the KBD sugarcane in Majalengka, broadcast Thursday (21 May 2026). He added that the national sugar problem does not lie only in the downstream trade sector, but also starts from a weak seed system and low productivity on smallholder farms. For years, many farmers have used old planting stock with low productivity, resulting in high production costs and non-competitive harvests compared to imported sugar. Kebun Benih Datar is designed to produce certified sugarcane seed with uniform quality and adaptability to land needs across regions. ‘We cannot keep relying on the old model. The revitalisation of national sugar must start with seeds. This KBD will be the hub for developing superior seed sources that will accelerate farmer productivity,’ said Ebi.